Page:The Federal and state constitutions v6.djvu/58

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3238
Rhode Island—1842

mile for traveling expenses in going to and returning from the general assembly: Provided, that no compensation or mileage shall be allowed any senator or representative for more than sixty days attendance in any calendar year. The general assembly shall regulate the compensation of the governor and of all other officers, subject to the limitations contained in the constitution.

Sec. 2. The governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, attorney-general, general treasurer, and senators and representatives in the general assembly shall be elected at town, ward, and district meetings on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November annually, commencing A. D. 1901, and shall severally hold their offices for one year from the first Tuesday of January next succeeding their election, and until their successors are elected and qualified.

Sec. 3. When the governor elect shall die, remove from the state, refuse to serve, become insane, or be otherwise incapacitated, the lieutenant-governor elect shall be qualified as governor at the beginning of the term for which he was elected. When both the governor and lieutenant-governor elect, or either the lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, attorney-general, or general treasurer elect are so incapacitated, or when there has been a failure to elect any one or more of the officers mentioned in this section, the general assembly shall upon its organization meet in grand committee and elect some person or persons to fill the office or offices, as the case may be, for which such incapacity exists or as to which such failure to elect occurred. When the general assembly shall elect any of said officers because of the failure of any person to receive a plurality of the votes cast, the election in each case shall be made from the persons who received the same and largest number of votes.

Sec. 4. If the offices of governor and lieutenant-governor be both vacant, by reason of death or otherwise, they shall be filled by the general assembly in grand committee, and the acting governor shall, if the general assembly is not then in session, call a special session thereof for that purpose within twenty days after both of said offices become vacant if a stated session is not sooner to occur.

Sec. 5. In case of a vacancy in the office of secretary of state, attorney-general, or general treasurer from any cause, the general assembly in grand committee shall elect some person to fill the same: Provided, that if such vacancy occurs when the general assembly is not in session the governor shall appoint some person to fill such vacancy until a successor elected by the general assembly is qualified to act.

Sec. 6. When a senator or representative elect shall die, remove from the state, refuse to serve, become insane, or be otherwise incapacitated, or when at an election for any senator or representative no person shall receive a plurality of the votes cast, a new election shall be held. A vacancy in the senate or house of representatives shall be filled at a new election. The general assembly shall provide by general law for the holding of such elections at such times as to insure that each town and city shall be fully represented in the general assembly during the whole of every session thereof so far as is practicable. Every person elected in accordance with this section shall hold his office for the remainder of the term or for the full term, as the case may be, of the office which he is elected to fill, and until his successor is elected and qualified.